Our New Look
Welcome to the new (and, we think, improved) Programming Librarian!
Not to worry — beyond looks, not too much has changed. Programming Librarian, a website run by ALA’s Public Programs Office, is still here to provide you with everything you need to share, learn and be inspired to present excellent library programming for your communities.
Apply Now: Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award
School librarians are invited to apply for a $5,000 award recognizing outstanding humanities programming in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Previously for school libraries serving grades K-8, this year’s Jaffarian Award is the first to include eligibility for school libraries also serving grades 9-12.
Nominations for the 2024 Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award will be accepted until May 1, 2024.
8 Things Librarians Should Know: Working with Juvenile Detention Facilities
Things were going well with Amelia Jenkins’ teen book club. Conversations were flowing, and the kids were getting more comfortable with each meeting. Jenkins found a short story perfect for group discussion, so she printed out copies. When she arrived at the book club, story printouts in hand and ready to get started, the packets were confiscated – the story would not be read that day. Why? Staples. Jenkins had stapled the packets together.
Moving Away From the Barrier of Program Registration While Keeping Free of Chaos
For many years, public libraries required phone or walk-in program registration to regulate the number of attendees and who to expect. It was a cumbersome process with no-shows and waiting lists, but it was a routine that had yet to be evaluated.
100 Hotspots, 20 Rural Libraries
Two small town libraries share how WiFi hotspots for checkout benefitted their communities.
“What Will I Do?”
Thousands viewed the Americans and the Holocaust exhibit at this library and the impact continues.
7 Steps to Community Engagement
A new report highlights the crucial steps libraries take to effective community engagement.
What Makes Library Partnerships Valuable
Library partnerships are valuable in many ways. Read about how libraries work with partners to design, plan and implement successful programs.
What Makes a Library Partnership Effective
Five factors are key to the development of strong and effective relationships between libraries and their partners.
Apply Now: Imagining Tomorrow
ALA invites grant applications for a brand-new Great Stories Club series featuring YA sci-fi titles.
How Libraries & Partners Collaborate
How can partnerships help libraries reach their programming goals?
Health, Media, and More: What Partners Help Libraries Do
Libraries pursue partnerships to create a wide range of programs. What do these partnerships focus on? Here's what 800+ libraries told us.
9 Places You Can Apply to for Program Funds
Looking to fund your library's programs? We've got you covered with nine places to start.
Reaching Teen Readers
Need some ideas for a creative teen program? Here are five unique ways to use the Great Stories Club.
Who do Libraries Serve? Defining the “Public”
In order to do public programming, libraries first need to have an idea of who “the public” they’re serving is.
A Weekly Escape Into Stories
Learn about the impact of the Great Stories Club and how to use the (free!) resources at your library.